NYSERDA Consolidated Funding Application Information

June 17, 2013

Announcement of Available Resources and Guidelines for Round III of Regional Economic Development Council Competition

The Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) for Round III of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) initiative is now available to businesses, municipalities, not-for-profits and the public. The CFA serves as the single entry point for applicants to access the up to $760 million in economic development funding available in 2013.

As part of Governor Cuomo’s efforts to improve the state’s economic development model, the New York State CFA was created to streamline and expedite the grant application process. The CFA process marks a fundamental shift in the way state resources are allocated, ensuring less bureaucracy and greater efficiency to fulfill local economic development needs. The CFA serves as the single entry point for access to economic development funding, ensuring applicants no longer have to slowly navigate multiple agencies and sources without any mechanism for coordination. Now, economic development projects use the CFA as a support mechanism to access multiple state funding sources through one application, making the process quicker, easier, and more productive. In fact, the CFA was recognized with a Special Award for Excellence in Business and Economic Development in 2012.

In the third round of the REDC process, 13 New York State agencies have teamed up to make up to $760 million in economic development resources available to applicants through the CFA. Together, there are 29 funding programs available through the state agencies, including NYSERDA; Empire State Development Corp.; NYS Canal Corporation; Environmental Facilities Corporation; Homes and Community Renewal; Department of Labor; Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; Department of State, Office of National and Community Service; Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance; Higher Education Services Corporation; Department of Environmental Conservation; and Council on the Arts.

The 2013 Available CFA Resources Manual, which outlines the funds available from 29 state agency programs, and the 2013 REDC Guidebook, which provides the competitive guidelines for this year, are both available at www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov.

Additionally, to maximize participation in the process and ensure high-quality applications, multiple public workshops will be held in each region of the state to explain the programs and eligibility standards, as well as recent improvements to the CFA application process. The full schedule of workshops is available at http://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/genericcfa/2013-cfa-workshops.

About the Regional Economic Development Councils

The Regional Economic Development Council initiative (REDC) is a key component of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s efforts to spur economic development and job creation across New York State. In 2011, Governor Cuomo established 10 REDCs to develop long-term strategic plans for economic growth for their regions. The Councils are public-private partnerships composed of local experts and stakeholders from business, academia, local government, and non-governmental organizations. The REDCs have redefined the way New York invests in jobs and economic growth by putting in place a community-based, bottom up approach and establishing a competitive process for State resources. As a result of the first two rounds of competitive awards, the State is supporting more than 1,450 regionally significant economic development and community revitalization projects that are creating new jobs for New Yorkers and generating investments that grow our economy.

NYSERDA PROGRAMS

Funding for select NYSERDA programs is still available through the CFA. These programs include:

Cleaner, Greener Communities Program – Phase II – Implementation Grants – NYSERDA will continue to accept applications for Category 1, Streamlined EVSE and PV permitting, through the CFA until 4:00 PM Eastern Time on September 30, 2014, until funds are exhausted, or until NYSERDA issues a revision to this solicitation, whichever comes first. . NYSERDA is no longer accepting applications for Category 2, Creation or Revision of Comprehensive Plans, and Category 3, Sustainability Projects.

New Construction Program – The New Construction Program (NCP) provides technical assistance and financial incentives to promote the installation of energy-efficient natural gas and electric equipment in new and substantially renovated commercial and industrial buildings.

FlexTech Program – The FlexTech Program provides eligible New York State commercial, industrial, and institutional end users with objective and customized studies and engineering analysis to help make informed energy decisions.

Industrial and Process Efficiency Program – The Industrial and Process Efficiency Program (IPE) assists commercial and industrial manufacturers and data centers in identifying ways to improve energy efficiency through capital investments and process improvements by offering capital incentives and practical technical assistance while recognizing the importance of sustaining reliability and maximizing uptime.